SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING CONVERSATIONS FOR A MEETING SESSION IN A NETWORK ENVIRONMENT

• US 20120226997A1
• Filed: 03/02/2011
• Published: 09/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pang, Tak Ming Francis
• Granted Patent: US 8,739,045 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/753
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1818 Conference organisation arrangements, e.g. handling schedules, setting up parameters needed by nodes to attend a conference, booking network resources, notifying involved parties
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4038 with floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/152 Multipoint control units therefor

Abstract

An example method is provided and includes establishing a communication session involving a first endpoint and a second endpoint associated with a meeting in a network environment. The first endpoint is associated with a first identifier and the second endpoint being associated with a second identifier. The method also includes designating the first endpoint as a speaking leader for a segment of the communication session, the second endpoint operates in a listening mode while the first endpoint operates as the speaking leader. The method also includes rendering a symbol indicative of the first endpoint being the speaking leader for the segment. The symbol and the first identifier are associated on a user interface.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

establishing a communication session involving a first endpoint and a second endpoint associated with a meeting in a network environment, the first endpoint being associated with a first identifier and the second endpoint being associated with a second identifier;

designating the first endpoint as a speaking leader for a segment of the communication session, wherein the second endpoint operates in a listening mode while the first endpoint operates as the speaking leader; and

rendering a symbol indicative of the first endpoint being the speaking leader for the segment, wherein the symbol and the first identifier are associated on a user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the symbol is rendered adjacent to the first identifier, which is provided on the user interface.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a third endpoint of the meeting is designated as a host, the host being configured to begin the meeting at a designated time and to transition the symbol between endpoints involved in the meeting.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the host is configured to alert the second endpoint of infractions of the listening mode.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein once the first endpoint is designated as the speaking leader for the segment of the communication session, audio data for other endpoints involved in the meeting are muted.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request from a third endpoint to receive a subsequent designation to be the speaking leader; and

positioning a third identifier associated with the third endpoint in a speaker queue that is viewable by other endpoints involved in the meeting.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the symbol is transitioned to a next endpoint in the speaking queue after a designated time interval.

8. Logic encoded in non-transitory media that includes code for execution and when executed by a processor operable to perform operations comprising:

establishing a communication session involving a first endpoint and a second endpoint associated with a meeting in a network environment, the first endpoint being associated with a first identifier and the second endpoint being associated with a second identifier;

designating the first endpoint as a speaking leader for a segment of the communication session, wherein the second endpoint operates in a listening mode while the first endpoint operates as the speaking leader; and

rendering a symbol indicative of the first endpoint being the speaking leader for the segment, wherein the symbol and the first identifier are associated on a user interface.

9. The logic of claim 8, wherein the symbol is rendered adjacent to the first identifier, which is provided on the user interface.

10. The logic of claim 8, wherein a third endpoint of the meeting is designated as a host, the host being configured to begin the meeting at a designated time and to transition the symbol between endpoints involved in the meeting.

11. The logic of claim 10, wherein the host is configured to alert the second endpoint of infractions of the listening mode.

12. The logic of claim 8, wherein once the first endpoint is designated as the speaking leader for the segment of the communication session, audio data for other endpoints involved in the meeting are muted.

13. The logic of claim 8, the operations further comprising:

receiving a request from a third endpoint to receive a subsequent designation to be the speaking leader; and

positioning a third identifier associated with the third endpoint in a speaker queue that is viewable by other endpoints involved in the meeting.

14. The logic of claim 13, wherein the symbol is transitioned to a next endpoint in the speaking queue after a designated time interval.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory element configured to store electronic code,

a processor operable to execute instructions associated with the electronic code, and

a flow module configured to interface with the processor and further configured for;

establishing a communication session involving a first endpoint and a second endpoint associated with a meeting in a network environment, the first endpoint being associated with a first identifier and the second endpoint being associated with a second identifier;

designating the first endpoint as a speaking leader for a segment of the communication session, wherein the second endpoint operates in a listening mode while the first endpoint operates as the speaking leader; and

rendering a symbol indicative of the first endpoint being the speaking leader for the segment, wherein the symbol and the first identifier are associated on a user interface.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the symbol is rendered adjacent to the first identifier, which is provided on the user interface.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein a third endpoint of the meeting is designated as a host, the host being configured to begin the meeting at a designated time and to transition the symbol between endpoints involved in the meeting.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the host is configured to alert the second endpoint of infractions of the listening mode.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein once the first endpoint is designated as the speaking leader for the segment of the communication session, audio data for other endpoints involved in the meeting are muted.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the apparatus is further configured for:

receiving a request from a third endpoint to receive a subsequent designation to be the speaking leader; and

positioning a third identifier associated with the third endpoint in a speaker queue that is viewable by other endpoints involved in the meeting, wherein the symbol is transitioned to a next endpoint in the speaking queue after a designated time interval.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the symbol includes a term ‘

stick’

as part of its rendering on the user interface.